Belarus restricts foreign beers

The Internet was roused by another innovation connected with the World Ice Hockey Championship. Barysau District Executive Committee informed shops that it would be forbidden to sell imported bear from May 8 until May 25. Officials referred to Minsk Province Executive Committee’s order.

“Will you remove imported beer from the shelves tomorrow?” Euroradio asked Minsk shop #7 in Uruchcha.

Shop #7: “We will. We had a big choice of beer but we also have a lot of Belarusian beer in stock.”

We asked the Trade and Services Department of Minsk City Executive Committee for the reason for the ban. Its head Nina Yemelyanava explained that ‘it was necessary to sell domestic goods in the first place’.

“Foreign tourists usually want to taste local food and drinks. They are interested in the goods produced in the country they are visiting,” Nina Alyakseyeuna explained. “That is why our shops should offer them the whole range of domestic goods. It is needed to help them get aquatinted with Belarusian goods.”

Dzyarzhynsk shop Barvinak has not received any order to remove imported beer from the shelves yet, they told Euroradio.

It is not necessary to ban imported beer everywhere, the trade department of Minsk District Consumer Association told Euroradio.

Minsk District Consumer Association: “Our consumers mostly buy Belarusian beer anyway. There are not many kinds of imported beer in Minsk District shops - if any at all. That is why the ban does not really apply to us.”

Photo: beernexus.com